


Empresses of Lightning

by myscribblings



Series: Vaylin Related One-Shots [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 00:30:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10752954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myscribblings/pseuds/myscribblings
Summary: Azula prepares for her coronation, but is interrupted by visions, one of which changes the course of her life.





	Empresses of Lightning

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a Tumblr comment:
> 
> Azula: Who are you?  
> Vaylin: I'm you but handled even worse by the writers.
> 
> [Appropriate art, ](http://savarey.tumblr.com/post/159682673962/vaylin-the-fire-princess-based-on)though it came about in an unrelated way.
> 
> I am taking some liberties with Azula's background, but I believe it fits what we see in the series.

She did not want to hear any more from the vision, the woman in the mirror. The brush was in her hand. In her rage, she held it so tightly that the bristles stung her fingertips, but she did not care. She turned, drew back her arm, and stopped, shocked.

The woman in the mirror was no longer her mother. She was taller, and dressed in a dark green and gold robe of no style the girl knew. Her eyes were blue, like a Water Tribe member, but her face was very pale. and she seemed lost, confused.

“Who are you? Where is Mother?”

The strange woman put her hand on the other side of the mirror and looked about, taking in the reflection of Azula’s chambers. Eventually, she answered, “Vaylin. My name is Vaylin. How would I know where your mother is?”

“Because she was just standing right there!” She pointed at the spot in the mirror that Ursa had been standing.

“Are you sure? The only thing I sense here is you. Could it all be in your mind?”

Azula stopped herself from laughing. She would not show weakness in front of this woman. She was not weak. She stood a bit straighter, collecting herself. “If she was a figment, what are you?”

Vaylin turned and walked around her reflected world. “I don’t know. I think I’m a visitor. Something happened, something terrible, but I was drawn here.” She looked back, through the mirror’s surface, at Azula. “I think I was drawn to you.”

The girl took a step back. “To me? Why? Are you here to kill me? Betray me like everyone else? To assassinate me on my coronation day?” By the end, she couldn’t help but scream the last few words. “Why are you here?”

The woman didn’t appear to be paying attention. “I was with someone. My brother? Where is he?”

Voice filled with sarcasm, Azula replied, “How would I know where your brother is? Anyway, brothers are weak. Not worth the attention and coddling they get. Why would you want him with you?”

“I don’t think he was weak. I don’t think he was coddled. But, I forget. What happened? Something happened. He didn’t deserve it. I didn’t deserve it. I don’t…”

“Well, Father always said that only the strong get what they deserve.”

Suddenly, the woman in the mirror spun around and walked up to the surface. She leaned against it and Azula knew she had gained this Vaylin’s undivided attention.The woman was smiling out at her, but there was no humor in that smile. It reminded the girl of a predator scenting its prey. It was a smile she had seen before, also in mirrors. She now felt kinship with this woman. And, strangely, comforted.

Her eyes had changed. They were closer to Azula’s own, and shone in the dim light.

“Your father said that? This place may not be boring after all. We should talk more about your family, especially your father.” Vaylin’s voice had changed, too. Before, she was confused or disinterested. Now, she was focused, with a cutting edge of barely controlled anger. Azula decided to indulge the strange woman’s curiosity. What harm could it do, talking to this imaginary person? She smiled as she warmed to the subject.

“My father is the greatest Firelord who ever lived, well, until my coronation, and will soon rule the world as the Phoenix King. He believes in strength, and raised me to believe in strength.”

“Strength? How did he make you strong? Are you strong?”

“Of course I’m strong. I’m not like my brother. He never needed to be strong. Mother protected him. She always protected him. He is a weakling and a loser. Father never coddled me. He made sure I would be worthy to rule the Fire Nation, rule over the peasants he would leave in my care. He drove me to perfection. Made me understand ruthlessness, know how useless trust was. Fear is the only way.”

Vaylin grinned out of the mirror. “Yes. Fear is always free.”

Azula put her hands to her face, and they came back damp. She must have been exerting herself more than she thought. It could not be tears. She was not weak enough for tears.

Vaylin stepped away from the mirror. The smile was gone. “What did he do if he thought you made a mistake?”

“I never made mistakes! I am his perfect daughter! Strong, ruthless, fearsome. Even my friends know. My friends.” She looked down. “My friends betrayed me. I should have known better than to have friends. I don’t need friends. I have my servants, and the peasants will love me. They’ll understand what has to be… done.”

Vaylin looked at the girl for a long time, though Azula did not look up. She repeated, almost gently, though it was not in her nature, “What did he do if he thought you were less than perfect?”

The girl responded dully, without lifting her head. “He would turn away from me. He would show me what happened to the weak, like my brother. Like my mother. Like his father. He made sure I knew. He would never want to do anything to harm my perfection, but I knew what would happen if I fell too far from his ideal.”

“Fear is always free.”

Azula became angry again, her voice rising in pitch. She looked into the mirror defiantly. “They never understood. They never asked! They were weak and turned away from me. They thought I was a monster. At least he saw me and accepted me.”

“Did he?”

A heartbeat, a second. “No.”

“So, tell me, who is responsible for you being here, alone? For the pain you are feeling now?”

“I am.”

“Who else?”

“My father.”

“Good. You are a much faster study than I was.” Vaylin grinned that vicious grin again. “What are you going to do?”

Azula smiled back. “I believe I will go and show Father who is imperfect.”

“What an excellent idea! I am so glad to have helped.”

Azula turned away. “You really have. Thank you.” When she turned back, the strange woman was gone.

She sat, and carefully evened out her hair, and tied it back, taking her time. She dressed herself in her finest. She arranged transport. Finally, she summoned Lo, or perhaps Li, to take her orders. “I will be joining Father. When Zuko gets here, and he will get here, I want you to tell him that I will not be back. He can be the new Firelord if he wants to be.”

“But, Azula, why? Are you all right?”

She sounded very odd speaking without her sister.

“I am. I really am. I have some issues to settle with my father, and afterward, I will go into exile. Or not, perhaps. Regardless, I will not be returning. Tell Zuko this, exactly: ‘Zuzu, I wish you well’”.

“He never liked that.”

Azula smiled. “I know.”

A small airship arrived and took the girl to pursue her father. The fated battle between Ozai and the Avatar never occurred, as the Phoenix King and his forces were never seen again. There are rumors that she died bringing her father’s madness to an end. 

There are also rumors, as there always are, of her still living, happily, with many friends that she loves and trusts. Her brother and former friends, and even some of her enemies, hope that is so.


End file.
